Backgrounds and Framing by Natalie

This card uses Making More Marks, Not More Flowers and Slim Word Strip 1. You will need Masking Tissue or film/sheets.

Using the Nature words stamp and Archival green ink, stamp onto an A4 sheet of card. Stagger each light impression moving down the sheet and off the edges. If you are feeling confident, you can stamp directly onto the card blank. Try and keep your images parallel, and use blotting to lighten the impression if needed. If using an A4 sheet, trim the panel to fit the front of your card blank.

Next, use the line and corner images from Making More Marks to frame the panel. This adds a finished edge when we have a design that bleeds off. Not always necessary, but is a perfect finishing touch for some designs. If you have any gaps, you can add miniature foliage stamps as these link through to the focal theme. Now, if you are creating this design with a different focal stamp, then you might change this small detail accordingly.

Stamp the circle stamps from Making More Marks and Floral Paraphernalia onto masking tissue, film or sheet. However, rather than cutting out the image, we want to create a negative mask i.e. the image is the hole.

Stamp the same images onto white paper or card using the same archival green ink. The solid stamp should just be lightly inked around the edges. Apply your masks over the top, and blend through Salvaged Patina and Peeled Paint Distress Inks.

Onto the same card, stamp the floral image from Not More Flowers in Archival. This time, watercolour using the same Distress colours.

Fussy cut out everything and blend a circle of Peeled Paint onto your card background. Layer on your elements and add coordinating sequins to finish the card.